The average 11th grader scored 998 on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, and the average 10th grader 911 (College Board, 2024–25). Enter your section scores below to see how yours compares for your grade, which benchmarks you met, and your National Merit Selection Index.
Test Ninjas Research · Updated October 29, 2026 · Figures from College Board's latest annual report
Score checker
Is your PSAT score good for your grade?
Enter your two section scores from the score report (PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10: 160–760 each, in steps of 10).
Total
1020
22 points above the 11th grade average of 998
Among 11th graders
52–80%
scored lower: your total is in the 1000–1190 band, where 28% of 11th graders landed.
11th grade benchmarks
Reading and Writing: 520(benchmark 460)Meets benchmark
Math: 500(benchmark 510)Approaching · 10 to go
40% of 11th graders met both benchmarks in 2024–25.
National Merit
Selection Index 154. 54 points below the Class of 2027 Commended cutoff (208).Class of 2028 estimates →
Ranges come from College Board's published score bands for 2024–25. The All Tester Percentile on your own score report is the exact figure: it ranks you against the last three years of 10th and 11th graders.
What counts as a good PSAT score by grade. Averages, benchmark shares and score bands: College Board 2025 annual report (2024–25 testers). Benchmarks: College Board grade-level benchmarks.
Grade
Test
Average total
Benchmark
Met both
Good score
8th grade
PSAT 8/9 (240–1440)
798
RW 390 · Math 430
28%
Above 798, both benchmarks met; 1200+ is the top 2%
9th grade
PSAT 8/9 (240–1440)
852
RW 410 · Math 450
31%
Above 852, both benchmarks met; 1200+ is the top 5%
10th grade
PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 (320–1520)
911
RW 430 · Math 480
34%
Above 911, both benchmarks met; 1200+ is the top 9%
11th grade
PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10 (320–1520)
998
RW 460 · Math 510
40%
Above 998, both benchmarks met; 1200+ is the top 20%
Next step
Fall 2026 PSAT/NMSQT scores release in waves from October 22 to November 12, 2026. Whether you are waiting or already have your report, the fastest way to raise the number is targeted practice.
These figures come from College Board's latest annual report, which covers students who tested in 2024–25. Compare your score with the average for your grade: an 8th grader's 798 and a junior's 998 are on different tests and scales.
11th grade
998
RW 508 · Math 490
10th grade
911
RW 465 · Math 447
9th grade
852
PSAT 8/9 · RW 435 · Math 417
8th grade
798
PSAT 8/9 · RW 408 · Math 391
Average scores of every tester, by test (2024–25).
Test
Testers
Average total
Reading and Writing
Math
PSAT/NMSQT
3,085,279
950
485
466
PSAT 10
357,706
904
459
445
PSAT 8/9
1,177,767
829
423
405
Average totals · 2024–25
11th grade
998
PSAT/NMSQT all
950
10th grade
911
PSAT 10 all
904
9th grade
852
PSAT 8/9 all
829
8th grade
798
Key takeaway: “Average” depends on the group. Juniors cluster near 1000; the whole PSAT/NMSQT pool sits at 950 because it includes many 10th graders.
The PSAT 8/9 is scored 240–1440 and the PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT 320–1520, so don't compare an 8/9 average with an NMSQT one. Details in PSAT format and which PSAT to take.
02
Where PSAT Scores Fall: Percentiles by Score Band
College Board publishes the share of each grade scoring in each 200-point band. Adding up the bands below yours tells you roughly what share of your grade you beat. For juniors, 1000 or more beats about half, 1200 or more is the top 20%, and 1400 or more the top 4%.
11th graders (PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10), 2024–25. Shares are rounded by College Board.
Total score
11th graders in band
Scored lower
Scored at or below the top
1400–1520
4%
96%
100%
1200–1390
16%
80%
96%
1000–1190
28%
52%
80%
800–990
34%
18%
52%
600–790
15%
3%
18%
320–590
3%
0%
3%
10th graders (PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10), 2024–25.
Total score
10th graders in band
Scored lower
Scored at or below the top
1400–1520
1%
98%
99%
1200–1390
8%
90%
98%
1000–1190
23%
67%
90%
800–990
39%
28%
67%
600–790
23%
5%
28%
320–590
5%
0%
5%
Your score report shows an exact All Tester Percentile, which ranks you against the last three years of students who took the PSAT/NMSQT in 10th or 11th grade (College Board, Understanding Scores, Fall 2026).
03
Is My PSAT Score Good?
“Good” only makes sense against a goal. Three comparisons cover almost every student:
Against your grade's average
Above 998 for juniors or 911 for sophomores means you beat the typical student in your grade.
Against the benchmarks
Junior benchmarks are 460 in Reading and Writing and 510 in Math. Only 40% of juniors met both, so clearing both is a real achievement.
Against National Merit
Commended needed a Selection Index of 208 for the Class of 2027, and state Semifinalist cutoffs ran 208–223. That is a top-scorers race, not "above average".
Practical rule: beat your grade's average and clear both section benchmarks, and you have a strong foundation. Chasing a Selection Index of 208+ takes a different level of prep. Colleges never see the PSAT either way.
An above-average total and National Merit are related but not the same. Recognition uses the Selection Index (48–228), not the total: (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10, from the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT only.
Average totals vs. National Merit Selection Index cutoffs. Only the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT counts.
Index reminder: Reading and Writing counts twice. Two students with the same total can have different Selection Indexes, so track the index, not the total.
05
Frequently Asked Questions
College Board's latest annual report (students who tested in 2024–25) puts the PSAT/NMSQT average at 950 (Reading and Writing 485, Math 466) across about 3.09 million testers. By grade, 11th graders averaged 998, 10th graders 911, 9th graders 852 and 8th graders 798 (the last two on the PSAT 8/9).
One above your grade's average that also meets College Board's benchmark in both sections. For juniors that means above 998 with at least 460 in Reading and Writing and 510 in Math; only 40% of juniors met both. A junior with 1200 or more is in the top 20%.
Above 998 is above average, 1200 or more is the top 20% of juniors, and 1400 or more the top 4%. National Merit is a different bar: Commended needed a Selection Index of 208 for the Class of 2027.
10th graders averaged 911. Beating that and meeting the 10th-grade benchmarks (Reading and Writing 430, Math 480) is a good sophomore score, and 1200 or more is the top 9% of sophomores. Sophomore scores don't count for National Merit.
9th graders take the PSAT 8/9 (240–1440) and averaged 852. Above that, with the 9th-grade benchmarks met (Reading and Writing 410, Math 450), is a good score; 31% of 9th graders met both.
8th graders take the PSAT 8/9 and averaged 798. Above that, with the 8th-grade benchmarks met (Reading and Writing 390, Math 430), is a good score; 28% of 8th graders met both.
Only the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT counts, and it uses the Selection Index: (2 × Reading and Writing + Math) ÷ 10, from 48 to 228. For the Class of 2027 (the October 2025 test), Commended needed 208 and state Semifinalist cutoffs ran from 208 to 223. Cutoffs for this fall's test (Class of 2028) aren't out yet.
PSAT 10 testers averaged 904 and PSAT/NMSQT testers 950. They're different groups (the PSAT 10 is mostly spring 10th graders), so compare your score with your grade's average instead.
All PSAT 8/9 testers averaged 829: 798 in 8th grade and 852 in 9th grade (2024–25).
For a junior, yes: it's above the 998 average and in the 1000–1190 band, so higher than about 52% to 80% of juniors. For a sophomore it's higher than about 67% to 90% of 10th graders.
No. Colleges don't receive PSAT scores. The averages matter for setting your own goals and planning for the SAT and National Merit.
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